Boks confident of winning World Cup

JOHANNESBURG – The Springboks left for France yesterday confident that four years of planning and upheaval in South African rugby have put them in a good position to challenge for the World Cup crown.

Coach Jake White told reporters there were times over the last four years when he did not think he would still be in charge the day they left for World Cup. “You never take going to the World Cup for granted.But I am very, very happy with where we are.I have 16 guys from my first year in charge and I have a team with 860-odd caps.We’ve worked on this for the last four years and now we need to make sure we get it going for the next seven weeks, “White said.White has survived a motion of no-confidence, standoffs with officials over selection and political wrangling over the racial makeup of the sqaud.”There is unique pressure in South African rugby.When I started in 2004, the pressure was to beat Ireland in a home series and now there is no doubt people in South Africa believe we can win the World Cup.It’s a pressure we take gladly,” he said.”Pressure is probably the one thing South African rugby players can handle better than anyone else,” White added.Captain John Smit was a member of the 2003 World Cup squad knocked out in the quarter-finals after a rocky build-up which included the notorious Kamp Staaldraad (camp barbed wire), in which the players were forced to stay overnight and naked in a muddy pit.”There’s a big contrast between now and 2003.In 2003, every single guy was just happy to have survived and to get to Australia,” Smit said.”But this squad is as settled as it has ever been in the last decade.There’s a completely different focus and we have a very firm belief in our ability to win the World Cup, which was probably missing in 2003,” Smit said.White said he had already chosen his team to play in the key pool match against England on September 14.”I’ve had my starting XV for the last four years, although obviously there have been changes here and there because of injuries and circumstances.”It’s not like in 2003 when our game against England was made out to be the be-all and end-all of our World Cup but, realistically, people will be saying the England game will be the one to decide who wins the pool.”But our first focus is on the game against Samoa on Sunday and hopefully that gives us momentum to take into the England game,” White said.Nampa-Reuters”You never take going to the World Cup for granted.But I am very, very happy with where we are.I have 16 guys from my first year in charge and I have a team with 860-odd caps.We’ve worked on this for the last four years and now we need to make sure we get it going for the next seven weeks, “White said.White has survived a motion of no-confidence, standoffs with officials over selection and political wrangling over the racial makeup of the sqaud.”There is unique pressure in South African rugby.When I started in 2004, the pressure was to beat Ireland in a home series and now there is no doubt people in South Africa believe we can win the World Cup.It’s a pressure we take gladly,” he said.”Pressure is probably the one thing South African rugby players can handle better than anyone else,” White added.Captain John Smit was a member of the 2003 World Cup squad knocked out in the quarter-finals after a rocky build-up which included the notorious Kamp Staaldraad (camp barbed wire), in which the players were forced to stay overnight and naked in a muddy pit.”There’s a big contrast between now and 2003.In 2003, every single guy was just happy to have survived and to get to Australia,” Smit said.”But this squad is as settled as it has ever been in the last decade.There’s a completely different focus and we have a very firm belief in our ability to win the World Cup, which was probably missing in 2003,” Smit said.White said he had already chosen his team to play in the key pool match against England on September 14.”I’ve had my starting XV for the last four years, although obviously there have been changes here and there because of injuries and circumstances.”It’s not like in 2003 when our game against England was made out to be the be-all and end-all of our World Cup but, realistically, people will be saying the England game will be the one to decide who wins the pool.”But our first focus is on the game against Samoa on Sunday and hopefully that gives us momentum to take into the England game,” White said.Nampa-Reuters